


And Bees

by Thimblerig



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Camping trips, Found Family, Gen, Other, Platonic Polyamory, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:34:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22557943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thimblerig/pseuds/Thimblerig
Summary: After the wars, Tharkay, Temeraire, and Laurence explore the wilds of his father's estate, and the quaint folkways of the country.
Relationships: William Laurence & Temeraire & Tenzing Tharkay
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	And Bees

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nemainofthewater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemainofthewater/gifts).



“... And the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and bees,” announced Tharkay, smoothing an errant page of his little book against the chill northern wind with a clever brown hand. His straight black hair stirred also, and his long leather coat had the collar turned up around his throat. Despite this, he lounged easily against Temeraire’s foreleg as Laurence fussed about with two long-limbed deer in a glowing bed of coals. 

“Ah!” said Tharkay, turning another onion-skin page. “It says here that Valentine saved a lot of young men from becoming soldiers by marrying them.”

“It was an unjust wa-” Laurence stuttered reflexively, but the words dried in his mouth as Temeraire said, great golden eyes wide, “How many? Did he marry them all at once? Were there special quarters for all his husbands or did they apportion his time in shifts…?”

“I believe the book means that Valentine married the young men to young  _ women,” _ said Tharkay, taking brief mercy to Laurence.

“Oh,” said Temeraire, head dipping and great shoulders sagging in disappointment. “I had thought perhaps that Valentine was a dragon and he was taking them on as his crew.”

“What a lovely idea,” agreed Laurence. “But, er, as far as we know, Valentine was human, and humans do not marry in that fashion.”

“They do in Tibet,” said Temeraire brightly. 

“And Nepal,” added Tharkay.

“Yes, but -”

“- and Tharkay’s father had three -”

“Er, yes. We are not in - Valentine was not -” Laurence floundered.

Tharkay smiled crookedly, eyes hooded, and leaned back in his perch on the dragon, smoothing one hand over the dragon’s hot hide. There was silver in his hair, Laurence noted suddenly. Now when did that happen?

“I believe it was not the custom of Valentine’s time,” said Tharkay drily.

“But perhaps that is why he is the patron of  _ bees,” _ said Temeraire earnestly, with one of the immense, sharp-eyed  _ leaps _ that marked his intellect. “For you see, according to François Huber, honeybees live in hives and take to themselves a single monarch, or spouse as it were, and I was thinking that if the Saint married in this wise, then…”

“That is a perspicacious interpretation,” Tharkay said gravely, tipping back his head to gaze up at the dragon. “I am glad that we had this conversation, my friend.”

Laurence softened, and smiled. 

“Yes, my dear,” he said softly, then added, “the deer is ready.” 

**Author's Note:**

> // I didn’t come up with the “Valentine married all those men? Yay polygamy!” interpretation, and I can’t for the life of me remember where I first read it. It was far too good to pass up for a Temeraire story, though.
> 
> // _They do in Tibet…” - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyandry_in_Tibet_  
>  https://www.outfitternepal.com/blog/marriages-system-in-nepal 
> 
> // François Huber was a Swiss entomologist who revolutionised beekeeping in his day, including observing that queen’s mated outside the hive, and inventing the folio beehive. He did all that while blind. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Huber


End file.
